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7 September 1942
7 B-17’s of 29 dispatched, ineffectively raid the Wilton shipyards at Rotterdam in bad weather. 2 HBs seek T/Os in vicinity of Utrecht. Heavy ftr opposition is successfully repulsed with bmr crews claiming 12 destroyed.
97BG despatches 15 B-17s to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland; 301BG despatches 14 B-17s to bomb targets of opportunity (O) in and around Utrecht, Holland.
SHIP YARD
B-17 Flying Fortress
There is no fighter escort for this mission.
Group
The 97th Bomb Group flew the Eighth Air Force's first heavy bomber mission from the UK when they bombed a marshalling yard at Rouen on 17 August 1942. Just a month later though the Group were reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force and left England for the...
| Tonnage dropped | 17.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 15 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 4 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 3 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 1 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 3 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 8 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 4 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 7 |
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
B-17 Flying Fortress
Not yet known
Group
Activated 3-February-1942 at Geiger Field, Washington and equipped with B-17s. On 27-May-1942 the ground unit moved to Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, and the aircraft went to Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base), California for...
| Tonnage dropped | 5.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 14 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 5 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 1 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 4 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 6 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 5 |
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 97th Bomb Group
Killed in Action while serving as a Ball Turret gunner aboard B-17E 41-9074, 97BG/340BS 7-Sep-42 on mission to Rotterdam, Holland. Sgt. Kleinman was the only KIA on the aircraft which returned with battle damage to Polebrook. 8 other crewmen returned...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Boise 359BS/303BG 10/4/42; Presque Is 31/5/42; Slated 94BG; transferred 340BS/97BG Polebrook 28/7/42; sustained battle damaged over Rotterdam 7/9/42 and returned to Polebrook. with Capt Hughes, Ball turret gunner: Sgt Julius L. Kleiman KIA,...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2019 13:31:37 | Emily | Changes to official description |
| Sources | ||
Air Force Combat Chronology |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 18:40:48 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on Utrecht per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 18:39:39 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on Rotterdam per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 26 October 2014 18:42:42 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 26-Oct-2014. Mission description based on "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:16 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'. |
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